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$15 an hour after taxes in Kentucky

$15.00 an hour is about $26,275 a year after federal taxes and Kentucky state tax — roughly $2,190 a month take-home. That's an estimated 15.8% of gross pay going to income tax, Social Security, and Medicare.

Take-home from $15/hour

$26,275 / year

$2,190 a month · $1,010.57 per bi-weekly paycheck

Annual paycheck breakdown
Gross pay$31,200.00
Federal income tax−$1,564.00
Kentucky income tax−$974.40
Social Security−$1,934.40
Medicare−$452.40
Net (take-home)$26,274.80

Effective tax + FICA rate: 15.8% · Assumes 40 hrs/week, single filer, Kentucky.

Estimate only. Excludes local/city taxes, W-4 adjustments, and other withholdings. This is not tax advice.

These figures assume a single filer working 40 hours a week in Kentucky. Change your filing status, hours, overtime, pre-tax deductions in the interactive calculator.

$15.00 an hour is close to what a typical U.S. full-time worker earns. Over a year of 40-hour weeks that is $31,200 before taxes.

At this level most of your income falls in the 10% and 12% federal brackets after the standard deduction. Contributing to a 401(k) or HSA lowers the income that's taxed (though not the Social Security and Medicare portion), so pre-tax deductions are one of the few levers that noticeably change take-home pay here.

Kentucky note: Flat 3.5% (reduced from 4.0% in 2025), applied after Kentucky's 2026 standard deduction of $3,360. No personal exemption.

Frequently asked questions

How much is $15.00 an hour after taxes?
Roughly $26,275 a year, or about $2,190 a month, after federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare plus Kentucky state tax. Your exact take-home depends on your W-4, filing status, and pre-tax benefits.
What is the take-home pay for $15.00 an hour?
An estimated $505 a week — about $1,010.57 per biweekly paycheck in this example. Adjust the calculator for your state and deductions.
What percentage of my paycheck goes to taxes at $15.00 an hour?
In this estimate about 15.8% of gross pay is withheld for income tax and FICA. Your effective rate is lower than your top tax bracket because federal brackets are marginal.

Other wages in Kentucky